Box



H. C. BERRY.

oct. 24, 1944.

BOX

Filed Aug. 50, 1943 Patented Oct. 24, 1944 UNITED STATE astri ortiev BOX K Herbert C. Berry, Chicago, Ill.

Application August 30, 1943, Serial No. 500,506

6 Claims. (Q1. 20S- 16) This invention relates 'to boxes or carrying cases such as commonlynused for tools, shing tackle, or .for other purposes. Various types or forms of boxes for such purposes vare in more or less general use, and the present invention is directed particularly to certain locking or fastening means actuated by the handle and adapted to interlock various parts or members of the box.

'The objects 'of this invention are to provide an improved box of the type having-link supported extensible trays coacting with the cover members; to provide a metallic boxior carrier having movable trays and hinged cover members and a handle pivotally mounted on one yof said cover members, with means actuated 'by the handle for fastening the 'trays together, rand in coacting relation with the cover members when the handle is in raised position andreleasing said members when the handle is in 'lowered positionpto provide abox having a plurality of pairs of link mountedtrays with means actuated bythe handle for locking certain of the trays together when the handle is in predetermined position;4 and'to provide such further novel features and improvements as will be described more fully hereinafter.

In the accompanying drawing illustrating this invention,

Fig. 1 is an en'd view with the covers in open position and the several trays actuatedfby the cover members in extended positions;

Fig. 2 is a vertical cross sectional view showing the parts in closed position with the handle raised;

Fig. 3 is a sectionalv detail taken substantially on the 'line 3 3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is lan enlarged sectional detail showing the hooks or means actuated by the handle in engaging position with the upper trays; and

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of one 'of the upper trays.

My improved box is of 4more or less conventional construction having a body 6 with sides 'I and ends 8. The cover comprises two sections 9 and I3 formed as shown in the drawing. The cover section 9 is hinged at jI I to the upper edge of one of the sides 'lA and 'extends upwardly and then across the top terminating at a short distance beyond the central plane of the box. The cover section I0 is hinged tothe box at I2, and its free boundary or edge I3 underlies the correspondingr boundary or edge I4 of the section 9 so that such overlapping portion I4 serves to make a tight closure around the meeting edges and also serves to hold the section Il] in closed position. The cover sections may be fastened together by any open position as shown in Fig. l1 when the cover suitable fastening device or locks such as indicated at I5. p

The box or `case maybe :provided with any desired 'number of trays, but I have shown four trays IS, Il, I8 and I9 which are movably mounted inthe box and adapted to be vextended or opened with thecover sections. The combined width ofthe -two trays I6 and Il is substantially the same 'as the width of the box and the center walls of the trays meet at substantially the center oi the box. These trays rest upon angle bars or Z bars '2li secured to the end walls of the box.

Suitable linkage yis 'provided for actuating the- Il and I9 are likewise provided with connecting` links 25, 26 and 21,-and actuating links'28 as shown. It will `be readily seen that "by means of such linkagathe trays will be swung or extended from closed position as shown in Fig. '2 to full sections are swung outwardly. f

The -trays I8 and I9 are substantially duplicates and 'are'made in the novel form shown particularly in'Fig. l5. 'The center wall or inner side 29 ci the tray `If8 extends up a substantial distance beyond .the vouter wall i311 so that the tray is trapezoidal shaped in cross section. The ends 3! slope upwardly, the arrangement being such that the center wall closely a'pproaches'the cover and the capacity of the 'tray is substantially increased over that of an ordinary rectangular tray. The inner wall or side 32 of the tray I9 also extends upwardly to match the side 29 and is taller than the outer .side or wall 33. tapered or 'beveled upwardly as shown.

The cover section 9 has a handle 35 for carrying 'the box which is pivoted at the ends in channel shape bearing membersI 36 which are riveted or otherwise secured to the cover. The ends of the handle 3'5 are provided 'with hooks or catches 3l which 'extend downwardly and inwardly through slots in the cover. These hooks are positioned at substantially right angles to the handle and their lower extremities or hook portions are adapted to pass through holes 38 and 39 in the inner walls of the trays I8 and I9 as best shown in Fig. 4. When the handle 35 is in raised position, the hooks 3l are engaged with the trays The ends 311 are also and tend to fasten or hold the cover and trays together whereby the box may be raised with all of the parts in normal closed position. This prevents the possible undesired opening of the cover sections when the handle is lifted with the possibility of tipping over the box and spilling the contents thereof which would otherwise be apt to occur. The interlocking of the trays with the box is further effected by having the upper edges of the outer sides of the trays I8 and i9 contacting or engaging with the covers as indicated at 40 and 4l.

When thebox is to be opened, the handle 35 isv swung to the dotted position shown in Fig. 4- which withdraws the hooks from engagement with the trays and permits the cover sections to be opened in the ordinary manner.

I have found that with such improved interlocking devices or catches, there is some possibility of tools or parts in the upper trays covering hooks as above suggested. These partitions also serve to strengthen the trays and to divide the same into sectionswhich are desirable for small articles.

From this description, it will be readily seen that I provide meansadapted to ,be actuated by the box handle for fastening the covers and trays together, particularly where a plurality of sets of extensible trays arefincorporated in the construction.

While I have shown a preferred form of my invention,qit is apparent that modifications may be made which 'will comewithin the scope thereof and therefore I do not wish to be limited to the particular construction shown and described except as set forth in the following claims in which I claim:

1. A box for tools, or the like, comprising a substantially rectangular body portion, cover sections hinged to the upper edges of the sides of whichare freed from said sides when the handle is swung to predetermined position.

2. A tool box of the type described having a body portion and a cover comprising two sections, a handle pivoted tothe top of the cover and having hooks extending inwardly through the cover, sets of trays mounted in the box on either side of the medianline and having linkage connecting the sets with the respective cover sections to move the sets to extended positions, the adjacent sides of -the upper trays having holes which are engaged by the hooks when the handle `is in raised position, the outer edges of the up- `sections willbe locked together when the hooks the box, one of said sections extending upwardly j and inwardly beyond the central plane of the box and overlapping the meeting edge of the other section, said sections enclosing an additional space above the top ofthe box, a plurality of sets of trays mounted in saidspace on opposite sidesr of` .the medianline of the-box, the inner sides of the opposed trays lying closely against each other, linkage connecting the respective sets of trays with the box and. with the adjacent cover sections, whereby the trays may be swung to exare in engagement with said trays.

3. A box or chest comprising a body portion, a cover member hinged to one side of the body portion and extending upwardly and inwardly at least part way across the top of the box, a handle pivotally mounted in bearings secured to the top of the cover, extensions on said handle which project inwardly through slots in the cover, a plurality of trays mounted in the box, links connesting said trays with the box and with one of the cover sections, the uppermost tray having holes which are engaged by said extensions to fasten the cover and tray together, said extensions being formed to release the tray when the handle is swung to inoperative position.

4. 'Ihe combination with a box having a body portion with cover sections hingedly connected to the body portion and having a plurality of later ally disposed series of superpcsed trays mounted in the box and having links secured to each series of trays and to the adjacent cover section wherey by a series of trays may b e moved into outwardly extending position upon the opening of the respective cover'section, a handle pivotally mounted on one of the cover sections and having a hook extending inwardly through the cover and adapted to engage with holes in adjacent walls of the topmost trays when the handle is in raised positic-n and to disengage 4saidfholes when in lowered position. 1 f v 5. In a device of the character set forth, the combination of a substantially rectangular box, covers hinged to the side walls of the box, a pair of laterally disposed trays mounted in the top of the box, linkage connecting the respective trays and box and connecting each of said trays to one.

, wardly therethrough and adapted to engage with holes in the adjacent walls of the trays when in raisedposition whereby the cover and trays will all be fastened together, `said hook releasing the trays when the handle is in lowered position.

6. A tray for the purposes set Iforth, having one wall provided with a hole adapted to be engaged by a fastening device and having partitions positioned adjacent to the hole and extending upwardly to approximately the top of the same and serving to prevent articles placed in the .tray from coming within the path of the fastening means.

HERBERT C. BERRY. 

